Welcome to the Neighborhood: Stone Mountain-Redan Business News

has moved into the space that formerly housed the St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church thrift store.

Aztec, which used to be on East Mountain Street, is now at 901 Main Street.

The business had grown so much in just a year, co-owner Michelle Veerasawmy said, that there were bicycles "stacked to the ceiling" awaiting repairs at its East Mountain location.

Now, with about 1,400 square feet -- compared to less than 1,000 square feet before --- there's plenty of room to move around, work and spend some time with patrons, talking about everything from cycling to things to do in Stone Mountain. 

"We're the only business that can attract the cycling community," said Veerasawmy, who owns the business with Kris Dunbar. "We try to keep them in Stone Mountain. We tell them about the [Village Corner] bakery, the Crab Pot, the Butterfly House. We always try to keep them in our community."

Veerasawmy said Aztec had a location on Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road in Lithonia for about two years, but the owners decided to close it in September when nearby road work made it hard to get to the store.

Pharmacy opening

A pharmacy is going in at 827-D N. Hairston Rd., near the corner of Memorial Drive. Workers were spotted putting up shelving and doing some renovation last week. No word yet on the grand opening.

List of proposed Walmart public meetings

Walmart wants to build a new supercenter where an old car dealership and land now sit near the corner of N. Hairston Road and Memorial Drive. The public is invited to give input and to hear Walmart representatives talk about the plan at the following meetings:

Community Council meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the

Planning commission, Nov.1, 6:30 p.m. (Walmart wants to rezone the space from C-1 to C-2, general commercial), at the DeKalb County Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr.,  Decatur.

Board of Commissioners, Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m., also at the DeKalb County auditorium.

The supercenter wants the area rezoned from C-1 to C-2, general commercial.

Nonprofit basics

Salem-Panola library presents "So You Think You Want To Start a Nonprofit?" tonight from 6-8 p.m. During this free event, Chataun R. Denis will explain the key differences between nonprofit and for profit businesses; what it takes to start and manage a successful nonprofit; nonprofit licensing requirements; and the profitability of two common nonprofit business models. Open to first 25 participants.

DeKalb Leads Group Meets Wednesday

Network DeKalb Leads Group meets Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Senior Connections, 5238 Peachtree Rd., Chamblee. Networking is from 11:30-11:45 a.m., presentations start at 11:45, and the networking program from noon-1 p.m.

The invited guest speaker is Brandon Clark of the Clean Air Campaign, to talk about the advantage of telework and compressed work weeks.

Chamber Members pay $10 (RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 18); Chamber members pay $15 after the RSVP date. General admission and all payments at the door, $20.

School superintendent invited to Business After-Hours, Oct. 27

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce will hold its Business After-Hours on Thursday, Oct. 27, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Delta Community Credit Union, 245 West Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur. Invited guest: DeKalb County Schools superintendent, Cheryl Atkinson. The event is free for members, $10 for non-members. RSVP.